Here's How I Rebuilt My Running From Scratch
| Admin Update from March 2013 - It has come to our attention that the folks at PAP have started their own triathlon team via a subscription model, and that they are recruiting EN athletes to join them. More than five individuals have confirmed/reported this to RnP. While we appreciate all they have done for our Team as experts in running, it's not cool that they are trying to actively recruit our members away. You are free to do whatever you want with your tri dollar, just know that PAP is not affiliated with EN and that if you identify as TeamEN, you might get pitched. Thanks for your understanding, enjoy this thread and good luck with your running! |
Getting back on the EN bandwagon, and looking forward to a Jan OS start. Doing IMFL next year, which will be my 4th Ironman. Yipee!!!
I thought you might be interested is the running transformation I was able to make with the help of two outstanding guys at Pursuit Athletic Performance (PAP). I was referred to their Gait Analysis Lab by Lis and Todd Kenyon. Lis is the Kona world record holder in 40-44 AND 45-49, and many of you know Todd through TT Bike Fit. Both had gone through the analysis and were working on their own physical compensations, weaknesses, and dysfunctions that were negatively impacting their training and racing. As Lis said to me, "If my a$$ needs to be in there...I bet yours might too." 
I’ll try and make a long story short. In the end, I ended up rebuilding my running from SCRATCH. What prompted me to do it is the fact is that when training for IMWI in ’10, all of me was really breaking down. I was not progressing, I was not holding up physically, my recovery was crap. I just could not figure out what to do next. So when Lis and Todd explained how gait analysis helped them, I thought it might be the missing link. And that proved to be true.
Here are the bullet points from my gait analysis of what was going on with me.
1. I proved to be one of PAP’s five TOP athletes presenting with the most dysfunction. 
That’s right, multiple Ironman competitor, someone who can go out and run 10 miles any day of the week, and I was a compensating, dysfunctional mess. It has NOTHING to do with fitness or speed, which I have coming and going (well, speed is a stretch). This is about true and usable functional strength, of which I had basically ZERO. Years of mileage, training, sitting hunched over a computer, injuries…add it up and it creates problems over time.
That’s right, multiple Ironman competitor, someone who can go out and run 10 miles any day of the week, and I was a compensating, dysfunctional mess. It has NOTHING to do with fitness or speed, which I have coming and going (well, speed is a stretch). This is about true and usable functional strength, of which I had basically ZERO. Years of mileage, training, sitting hunched over a computer, injuries…add it up and it creates problems over time. 2. I flunked just about every single functional strength test except “shoulder mobility.” LOL! My glutes were not firing. In fact, my entire posterior chain was dead. The synergistic dominance that then kicks in forced the hamstrings and little stabilizers to pick up the slack, frying all those muscles to the point of injury.
3. I was mostly relying on the smaller muscles and the stabilizers to do the work of the dead prime movers. When you fry your stabilizers like that, year in and year out, you can’t recover. They are taxed beyond their ability, and it's the beginning of a cascade of breakdown And, man, was that true for me. I needed my glutes working!!!!
4. What I had to do (and did) was rebuild ALL of my functional strength. This is not a nautilus gym circuit or smith bar squats, but a customized functional strength plan for MY particular issues and weaknesses. I started from scratch and worked my way through a number of progressions over a number of months.
Here’s a before and after video so you can see the dramatic change made. They put me on the treadmill with no coaching cues--I just ran. Honestly, my running feels like heaven now, and I feel so much more vital and strong in my life overall. This experience proved to be the most healing and empowering thing I have done for my training in decades.
I am so glad I had the courage to do the rebuild. And now it’s onto knocking the OS out of the park. Not to mention being smart and getting as fast as I can for IMFL!
If you want to know more, just ask. PAP also just started a blog this week, and a series of posts on gait analysis can shed more light than I ever could.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8jL_TYl_ac0
Comments
Thanks for sharing and looks like you have proper butt movement now in the vid.
Aloha Linda, first thank you for sharing and congrats on the new found functional form and strength. Now a few questions: Does your new stride change in length? It looks like you already had a mid-foot strike, did this change? Do you work on turn over speed? Does being stronger really fee as good as your new running gait looks?
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing — it's this team focus that really makes the Haus such a unique place to be.
I love talking about this stuff so ask away. It made such a remarkable difference for me, that I've made a deep study of their analysis, and their recommendations. The more I learn, the more I become convinved that "how you move" is a fundamentally essential element to good training, getting faster, and longevity in sport. Most athletes have no idea how they move--I know I didn't.
A little levity....it took me so long to post the video because, you know, it really is a butt shot. But after my run today, and how strong and solid I feel, I figured what the hell. Also, the work I've been doing with PAP has completely changed my body. Butt Bonus!!!!
@Trent--this is the basis of what I've learned, and I now know, without a doubt, that it's true. Throw out the Newton's, stop trying to "conciously" change run form. That's looking for solutions from the outside in. You HAVE to rebuild your running from the INSIDE OUT. What we see manifested on the outside in the champion runners is simply the physical picture of the solidity and strength they have on the inside. You have to build strength, stability, balance (not standing on one foot balance, but muscular balance), and mobility FIRST. THEN you go and run, and get the proper shoes, and work on form, etc.... Until you build the body of a champion runner inside your own, all those fixes that come from the outside never last. Have they in the past? Not for anyone I know, including me. That was a HUGE paradigm shift for me. Get strong. Get stable. Get balanced. Get flexible. Get a neutral pelvis. That's when you begin to soar. Put EN training on top of that, and I'm scared of what might happen!
I worked with the PAP boys in CT. But they just launched an online option, and I think all the packages are 30% off right now. Knowing what I know now, would I get on a plane to see them? Without a doubt. It has been worth every single penny, and every single minute of my time. They saved me physically. Can't put a price on that. A few friends have flown in, and everyone is amazed. Failing coming to CT, I'd do the online option for sure. But you have to go into it willing to do what they tell you to do.
@Kristin--it's been a LOOOONG build for me. I had ZERO functional strength, and started on such basic stuff your jaw would hang open. But I was dedicated and relentless in my rebuild. It's hard to say what I do, b/c it's not the normal stuff you see at the gym. Everything I do is about building functional strength. It all involves multiple joints with elements of instability built in--i.e. varying strengths of large rubber bands. I have built enough stabllity, strength and mobility to move into some kettle bell work. Until now, the PAP boys wouldn't even let me pick up a kettlebell b/c I had NO hip mobility to do it properly.
The other reason I hesitate to tell people what to do is b/c what works for me might not work for you. For instance, you know how most people think yoga is great in the offseason? In many cases it may be. But for me, yoga was quite possibly the WORST thing I could have done last year. The muscles on the outside of my hip where SO long, SO overstretched, that if yoga classes happened to work on stretching those muscles, it would have been very detrimental for me just making things worse. Make sense?
@Fred--Hello new member! Welcome. Thanks for the kind words, and yes I feel THAT good. Not to make things sound too easy, but my speed is SO much better. I can easily drop into the 7s, whereas in 2010, I could barely break 9s. I was getting slower and slower b/c my body was just trying to get me from point a to b. The body will do whatever we ask of it. It might be a dysfunctional, compensating mess, but it wil get you there. Not, however, at your true potential, or even close to it. I really believe I can find that again. My body is working as it should to run well because it's all built IN. I have to continue to work to stay strong, balanced, and stable, and I will. My stride rate is good, and sure, I work on cadence when I run. I'm up much more on my forefoot b/c my body is up and stable, moving correctly. It might sound too good to be true, but it really is the result of proper guidance from the PAP guys, and a TON of hard work.
@Brenda--Thanks! It all works together, huh? The biggest power driver are the new, strong, active glutes. That's what helps me the most. The stronger the butt, the greater the impact force when the leg hits the ground. It also now gives me good hip extention. The balance around my hips, and the neutrral pelvis facilitates the application of force to the ground--i.e. faster, more efficient running. I bet you'd like their blog. They post it all on FB too. Cool stuff.
PS-- The PAP boys are two of the greatest people I know. Reach out to them if you care to. They are more that willing to help. http://www.pursuitathleticperformance.com/
@Linda Thx for sharing! Did you have any injuries that were recurrent previously and what were they and any issues/injuries/soreness when embarking on your new program?
Fantastic post. I had wondered about your "glass" quads; now we know. I look forward to tales of triumph.
Thank you for the information. I've been fighting injury pretty much since I started Ironman training about 5 years ago and I've never been comfortable running. Now I'm fighting a consistent hip injury. I checked out the website and sent an inquiry and hope to get up there for a gait analysis before the end of the year.
Joanna
I'm curious as to how you did this within your season. Did you take time off from training and racing to rebuild, or was this something that integrated well with triathlon training?
What do you do with this going forward? Do you continue the same strengthening exercises as you add more volume to your training, or is there a maintenance mode you will move into?
OK to mention you Linda as who directed me to them?
Linda - great stuff...and really hits home for me....I have been trying to do this ad hoc....as I have come to the realization slowly over the past 3-4 years....about lack of functional strength, compensation, etc.
When I came to running in my late teens and had some success especially at longer distances (2:38 marathon PR)...I had alot of core/glute strength from years of playing competitive hockey....getting back to running(then subsequently triathlons) in my 40's...I had none of that strength and balance....my stride became a complicated mess of compensation which limited my progress.....I noticed some things like how cycling was helping my running...how mimicking the cycle stroke while running (simplification here) improved my running economony/speed...then by tm running in front of mirrors/side mirrors...hip position, rotation, foot strike...and things started to come together in my mind....
Long story short...I started to focus on form & stride and have been making a rebuild...and for the first time in years feel like I'm acutally running...not just jogging faster (if that makes sense)....
Your experience makes me want to consider a more formal approach.....and I know I had talked to Todd at TT was hoping he was going to get into gait analysis at his shop too....
Congrats...and continue success on your journey!
What an amazing transformation! Congrats and looking forward to seeing what you accomplish in your next season.
As a trainer, this is probably the most common thing I see. Many people, including athletes, don't have a strong posterior chain, can't squat properly (even just an unweighted squat, not talking about pushing barbells or kettlebells around) and have weak lateral strength and stability. If every runner did the kind of work you've done, the number of "running injuries" would be greatly reduced. Really, it's probably more accurate to call them "lack of core strength and stability injuries". The human body is built to run, but we also (historically) spent a whole lot of time squatting.
This is a great demonstration that strength and economy of movement go hand in hand. It's also true in swimming, biking, and, really, any other activity. Strength allows our joints and limbs to move the way they are designed. And strength in the core provides a solid framework against which to work. No more 98 pound weakling!
Linda - Great results!!!! Good to have you back on top of your game!.
For those looking for a good explanation of what I think linda wnet throug see the following:
Here is the best site I have found on running Technique http://www.runningtechniquetips.com/
And his ebook is the best $10 I have spent. The book does a great job of explaining the running gait, what muscles SHOULD fire when and how to train them to do it correctly. http://www.runningtechniquebook.com...ique-book/
I have to say, I'm glad I shared this. A few things from my experience....
@Sarah--yes, the functional strength work is now a life-long commitment. Thing is, not only does it help my training, but I feel so much better in real life. I'm not as sore, I recover MUCH quicker, and just feel so much better overall. I can't believe how much of an impact moving well has on the total quality of life.
So even at that level, they have things to work on.
@Joseph--You sound primed for some formal tweaking. I know some formal analysis and proper strength work is likley your missing link. The thing is, practicing technique and the like--there is time and place for that. But FIRST, build the body you need. You have to do it from the inside first, not from trying to impose things from the outside. That's the paradigm shift that makes so much sense to me now that I've been through the process.
The PAP boys are the team Todd is talking about. They may, in fact, form a partnership at TT Bike Fit, but I really don't have any inside info on where that stands. They are good friends, and Coach Al coached Lis Kenyon to her two world records at Kona (40-45 and 45-49). And, FYI, Lis is currently in "running jail," put there by the boys. LOL! She's got too much compensation going on right now, so they want her to get her balance and stability a little more in order for a few weeks before getting back on the road.
@Robin--that is a brilliant summation. Your clients are lucky to have you.
@Al--You rule. Period. Thanks for the kind words.
@Matt--I think therea re two fundamental differences is between using a book or looking at tips from a web site, and what I have learned at PAP. 1) To have the opportunity to pinpoint one's OWN particular weaknesses is an incredible opprtunity. Some general tips, and even some strength and stretching exercises, would have been 100% wrong for me. How would one ever know? That's why having something like a gait analysis done at a reputable place, getting prescriptive exercises FOR YOU, then following up long term, can have such a powerful outcome. 2.) Not to be a broken record, but I now know not much of that really works until you build the foundation INSIDE. It just doesn't stick or last unless you have the proper structure to support the drills and technique work. No matter how much you try and impose from the outside, a body always goes back to the default. Rather the default be neutral, strong, stable, blanced, than trying to mash technique on top of dysfunction.
Can you explain the logistics of your process a little more? Do you think it's possible to go in there for like a 1 day consult to determine your weaknesses, etc and learn the types of stretching and/or excercises that need to be done, then go away for several months and do them with only virtual contact with the PAP team. Then come back in several months later for a re-evaluation?
Or, was it more like physical therapy where you actually physically go in there a couple of times a week with constant modification of the things you are working on to achieve a full balance after many months of small iterative advances?
@Scott--Kurt is the MAN! His skill and knowledge in combo with Coach Al make them a unique and outstanding combination. I tell them I have been waiting for them my entire training life! More on how I worked below....
@John--It's entirely possible to spend the day with them (you'll probably have two sessions in that day), and then progress with sessions remotely. Especially important is having them progress you in your strength work. It's how they work wtith plenty of people, and their system to do this gets better and better. New site coming up in a few months to focus and refine work with remote clients. Going back for a re-eval in a few months is actually ideal, although people do that remotely too. I have friends in KY and TN who do it just that way. For me it was not like PT schdeule, nor does it need to be. Every few weeks/month remote eval for progressions is how I did it. Sometimes I do go down there, but it is 2 hours away so not exactly in my backyard either. Consistency and progression for what YOU need it key, and you can work with them to do that. They care so much, and are so committed to the clients they'll help you structure what you need to work it out.
I made a commitment to working with a swim coach this off season, til April actually. I read your post and immediately started trying to figure out how I could work this in, too. I deal with some common injuries that hold me back and I'm sure that gait analysis under proper supervision, building it from the inside out, could help me a ton.
Instead of tacking it on to my stuff this year, since I'm all in on the swim stroke learning curve, I'm going to save this as my present for next off season. I'll watch the evolution of the online stuff from PAP. And please keep us updated thru the year on your running progress.
as a matter of fact, I'll see you at IMFL!
http://ironman.memorialhermann.org/orthopedic-surgeons-and-sports-medicine/human-performance-pricing-packages/
Mike
@Scott--You could ask them, I have no idea if they have a national network of referrals. I'm sure they're also pretty particular about who they refer as they know this kind of thing is only as good as the people doing it.
Not to confuse you, but this whole rebuild I did is about more than running. It helps everything. The wiggle is gone from my swim due the stability, and it's going MUCH better. The excessive hip rocking action on the bike is gone too. I know, I know, it's time and money, but it would be great to work it in all together, as nothing exists in isolation. They taught me that too. 
Perfect time of year.
@Chris--yes I WILL see in you FL! I LOVE that race.
@Linda, I happened to be at my Chiro today and told him about your great work, and he referred me to a local PT guy who's also a long-time triathlete. And since it's PT, I got a scrip so my insurance will cover it. I'll try him first.